Chesapeake Responds to Otis Water Questions

When asked to comment regarding the situation at the Terry Township residence of Jason and Janet Otis, Brian Grove, Chesapeake's Senior Director of Corporate Development, issued the following statement:

"Chesapeake takes very seriously any landowner concerns about their water supply, and when a question is raised, we routinely offer to provide a replacement source of water as a courtesy, notify the DEP immediately, and begin to investigate.

"Chesapeake responded immediately upon receiving the complaint from the Otis family in August, and we have actively worked to assist the family with their concerns since then.

"These efforts have been hampered by a lack of communication and reasonable cooperation. Communication has been difficult as many of our calls to the family go unreturned and even personal visits to their home go unacknowledged.

"To be clear, we have not offered to purchase the Otis's property—as has been indicated—but we have discussed the possibility of attempting to rehabilitate their current water well or installing a treatment system that will effectively remedy the concerns. Our offer to install the treatment system is not conditioned upon a release of liability or confidentiality; we are merely seeking permission to install the system. Also, water testing has not indicated elevated levels of lead or bicarbonate alkalinity, as has been claimed. Furthermore, the offers of assistance that have been made and all efforts to address this to date have been done at no cost to the Otis family. The Otises have thus far refused to consider the solution put forth, they have not offered up potential alternatives, and communication with them remains difficult despite our best efforts.

"We will continue to attempt to work with them and their attorney to resolve their concerns."